WHILE international visitors are unlikely to be able to attend the upcoming Beef 2021 event in person this year, opportunities will still exist for beef industry stakeholders from across the world to engage with the event.

The opportunity to mingle and do business with international visitors has been a feature at previous Expos, with the event’s International Lounge turning into a microcosm of markets in which Australia does boxed beef, live cattle and genetics trade.

Total overseas registrants for the previous Beef 2018 event’s ‘Handshakes’ program reached 1200, from 43 different countries. The Chinese contingent alone numbered around 135 people three years ago, with other large groups from Indonesia, South American nations, New Caledonia and New Zealand, and sizable delegations also from Canada, US and other parts of Southeast Asian and the Pacific.

This year’s event will obviously be very different, with little possibility of any countries opening for international travel without quarantine by the time the event starts in early May.

Maintaining connection

However Beef 2021’s International Committee has worked hard to at least maintain relationships and engagement with the thousands of overseas stakeholders interested in the event, and cultivating trade prospects with Australia.

International committee chairman Geoff Maynard said this year was all about maintaining contact with overseas stakeholders, either through webinar programs, or virtual chat rooms, providing an opportunity for businesses to connect and get updates on relevant industry topics.

“COVID has meant it’s been a fluid situation since this time last year, and it’s been impossible to predict how quickly international travel might re-open,” Mr Maynard said.

“The arrival of the vaccine has been cause for some optimism, but it’s unlikely to have an impact before this year’s event gets underway. For that reason, online will be key to how those overseas people engage with the event this year,” he said.

The International committee has organised three specific seminar sessions this year of particular interest to overseas people, spread through the week-long event program. All will be accessible via livestream or webinar, free of charge to international stakeholders. Here’s a quick summary:

Technology in processing

The first seminar will examine progress in objective carcase measurement technologies, including locally-developed systems, highlighting Australia’s cutting edge position in this field. Speakers will include Dr Peter McGilchrist, head of the meat quality research under the industry’s ALMTech program, Darren Hamblin, the CQ beef producer responsible for the development of the MasterBeef smartphone-based camera grading technology, and high-profile livestock scientist Dr Alex Ball. This forum will take place on the Beef 2021 Tech Yards stage from 9am on Wednesday, 5 May. Click here to view Beef Central’s original story on the MasterBeef project.

Genetics, genomics and market access

A second international seminar featuring geneticist Dr Ben Hayes and artificial breeding practitioner Dr Cyd Wise, will discuss Australia’s world-leading genomic research programs, and challenges and opportunities in the export of Australian genetic material around the world.

This seminar is from 9.30am on Thursday 6 May in the Ken Coombe Tech Yards.

Investing in agriculture in a COVID world

As supply chains become more digitised, what is the point of all this data? And how does this actually translate into value versus just another cost? Addressing this topic in the third international seminar will be David Inderias, Co-founder and CEO, Fresh Supply Co, and Jennifer Wainwright, Managing Director, Aux Venture.

David’s business focus is on how data can be effectively used to improve capital/payment flows and structured debt to the food & beverage and agribusiness sectors. He will highlight partnerships with platforms like Mastercard, real life use cases, and how data is driving new innovative lending formats enabling better and more competitive access to capital for producers versus traditional models.

Jennifer will describe the processes and opportunities of investment and refinancing for beef enterprises with special relevance to the northern industry.

The seminar will be held from 1.30pm on Wednesday 5 May in the Patterson Room, Rockhampton High School Seminar Hub.

In addition, registered international delegates can gain free access (including opportunity to pose questions) to Beef 2021’s Industry Symposium being held on Monday, May 3, as well as free access to recorded versions of other seminar sessions across the five-day program.

Networking opportunity

Beef 2021’s popular Handshakes program, designed to connect overseas parties and Australian businesses with common red meat and livestock interests, will go ahead as normal this year in online form.

All previous overseas visitors to the Beef Expo event have been encouraged to join the program again in 2021. Matching opportunities and online meetings can be arranged, via the event’s Business Lounge.

There will be no International Lounge provided at this year’s Expo, for obvious reasons, however the area previously used for the lounge is this year re-named the Business Lounge, which can still be utilised for digitial connection with overseas contacts interested in doing business.

Trade Investment Queensland plans to host a couple of international virtual seminars on business investment and trade from the Business Lounge during Beef 2021. More details closer to the event.

A portal is also being built for the Beef 2021 website providing international stakeholders with a resource, divided by subject, to source information on ‘breeding and genetics’ for example – basically a compilation of other organisations’ websites containing relevant information on that topic.

Mr Maynard said the Beef 2021 committee was keen to maintain better ties with international stakeholders, even between the three-yearly events. While details are yet to be decided, that may involve webinars or other activity, promoting the Australian meat and livestock industry and what it has to offer.

 

• Overseas stakeholders interested in the Beef 2021 International Engagement program can click here to register for details. 
• Click here to see details about the entire Beef 2021 International Engagement program